2016 (Senior Year): Made 24 appearances, all in relief … posted a 2-2 record and a 5.52 ERA … struck out 21 batters in 29.1 innings of work … earned his first win of the season with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief work against Purdue (4/26) … posted 10-straight scoreless appearances (between 3/16 and 4/29), spanning 13.1 innings on the mound … struck out two batters seven times … tossed two innings or more on four occasions … earned a win in the series opener against Wichita State (5/13) … allowed two or fewer runs in all but two of his appearances … posted 15 scoreless appearances … named to the Missouri Valley Conference and AFNI honor rolls.
2015 (Junior Year): Made 30 appearances, all out of the bullpen … posted a 2-2 record and a 6.41 ERA, with a pair of saves … led the Redbirds and the MVC in appearances during the regular season … came within two appearances of matching Illinois State’s single-season appearances record … struck out 29 batters over 39.1 innings of work … tossed a career-high three innings versus St. Joseph’s (3/6) … pitched two or more innings eight times … did not allow an earned run over his first four appearances … struck out a career-high three batters at Wichita State (4/11) … did not allow a walk in five-straight appearances (3/18 to 3/31) … earned his first save against SEMO (2/21) … recorded another save against St. Joseph’s (3/6) … pitched at least one full inning in all but four appearances … named to the MVC and AFNI honor rolls … earned the MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award.
Parkland CC: Played for two seasons … totaled 18 innings pitched in 2014 … pitched 15 innings in 2013 … named to the dean’s list.
Putnam County HS: Was a four-year member of the baseball team … posted a record of 4-2 with a 2.00 ERA, while batting .350, as a senior … earned News Tribune First-Team All-Area and All-Tri-County Conference First-Team honors as a junior and senior … named an Illinois Baseball Coaches Association All-State selection as a junior … team won conference title his junior and senior years … named to academic all-conference team as a senior … played primarily as the team’s starting shortstop his freshman through junior years … member of the National Honor Society … named to the honor roll all four years.
Personal: Born Feb. 14, 1994 in Spring Valley, Illinois … son of Beth Sale … has an older brother, Jared … his uncle, Jerry Zielinski, played basketball at Northern Illinois … majoring in marketing.
